Jersey Shore fishing: Generally picky fluking

Though there were lots of shorts, fluking reports were generally modest today. Dave Lilly of Hazlet did well enough as three anglers caught 10 keepers from among all the shorts in Ambrose Channel. Yet, there was nothing over 22 inches -- which is a poor day by Lilly's standards. Bucktails and big baits weren't producing, as smelts seemed to work best. Lilly wasn't happy with his crew's results, but said others he talked to at the Leonardo ramp were fortunate to have even one keeper. Captains Sal Cursi and Hans Kaspersetz fished aboard a boat from Leonardo owned by Ken Pittman of Middlesex Armitage in Colonia as they managed seven keepers from the Mud Dump despite a lack of drift -- after doing nothing in Ambrose early.

John Andrea reported catching herring and pee-wee blues at the tip of the Hook on Saturday, but taking them to Ambrose didn't work out until he moved his Prime Real Estate from Morgan Marina to the Coney Island side where Herman Peters caught a 26-inch fluke.

Capt. Bud McArthur of Brick reported 35 anglers in Friday's Metedeconk River Yacht Club Fluke Tournament fought rough seas. Rich Haupt of Brick boated two fluke over 5 pounds plus one more for the winning three-fluke total of 12 3/16 pounds. Jack Baron of Basking Ridge was next at 9 9/16 pounds.

Jigging for pee-wee blues on Shore party boats remained good today, though the Golden Eagle from Belmar said their anglers had to work a bit harder as boat traffic was a problem and a lack of wind killed the drift.

The Queen Mary from Point Pleasant reported some fares limited on the small blues by 10 a.m., but then the action slowed until noon before it picked up again.